1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to templates, and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a template for guiding a cutting tool in cutting engagement with a surface of a work piece to provide ornamental designs in the surface of the work piece.
Heretofore, various templates have been proposed for providing designs in a work surface of a work piece, such as a flat panel used for cabinet doors, drawer fronts, and the like. However, such prior art templates, while meeting with some success, have not provided the workman with the desired flexibility to provide ornamental designs on substantially any portion of the panel to which the template has been secured. Thus, many of the prior art devices have required the workman to continuously remove and reset the template if one desires to have access to substantially the entire working surface of the work piece to which the template is attached. As is apparent, when the workman must relocate the template, or reposition same, not only is much time wasted but it is often difficult to properly and precisely position the template so that the cutting tool will provide the desired ornamental design on the work piece. Thus, new and improved template devices for guiding a working tool in cutting engagement with the working surface of a work piece to provide a desired ornamental design in the surface of the work piece are desired and being sought which enables the workman to have access to substantially all of the surface of the piece to which the template is attached without the requirement of resetting or repositioning of the entire template device.
2. Summary of the Invention
According to the present invention an improved template device for guiding a cutting tool in cutting engagement with a surface of a work piece is provided wherein the template device enables the workman to have access to substantially all of the surface of the work piece to which the template device is secured,. Broadly, the template device of the present invention provides the workman with a combination of rotational and horizontal movements across the working surface of the work piece and comprises a base plate having a base plate opening therein; a carriage support having a carriage support opening therein, the carriage support being rotatably disposed in the base plate opening of the base plate and supported therein by the base plate; a first locking assembly for securing the carriage support in a selected fixed position within the base plate opening; a carriage assembly transversely disposed across the carriage support opening, the carriage assembly being operably connected to and supported by the carriage support; and a template assembly having a template opening therein, the template assembly being supported by the carriage assembly such that the template assembly is selectively movable across the carriage support opening via the carriage assembly, the template assembly further being selectively rotatable about its central axis, the template opening of the template assembly being adapted to guide the cutting tool in cutting engagement with the surface of the work piece to provide the desired ornamental design in the surface of the work piece.
An object of the present invention is to provide an improved template which may be secured to a work piece, such as a wood panel or plywood sheet, for providing desired ornamental designs in the surface of the work piece.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved template for guiding a cutting tool in cutting engagement with a surface of a work piece wherein substantially all of the surface of the work piece enclosed by the template is available to the workman so that the cutting tool can be guided in cutting engagement with the surface of the work piece via the template.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a template for guiding a cutting tool to provide desired ornamental designs in the surface of a work piece wherein repetitive designs can be formed in the surface of the work piece, as well as in subsequent work pieces.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved template which is economical to manufacture, simplified in construction, efficient in operation, which will not readily deteriorate or become inaccurate through use, and which does not suffer from the disadvantages of the prior art devices.
These and other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from a reading of the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate the invention, and with the appended claims.